On the basis of our own data and that of the literature, the sanitary-hygienic, bioindicative and medico-demographic approaches to the formation of criteria for the ecological assessment of the state of the territory were investigated. The low effectiveness of the application of the sanitary and hygienic direction of ecological rationing has been demonstrated shown both in the evaluation of past environmental damage and current man-made changes in the components of the environment, and in the assessment of the impact of man-made factors on public health. The health risks and the elemental status of the population were considered as indicators of chemical pollution's impact on citizens. The population health's risk of Saint Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don linked to air pollution was evaluated. The comparative analysis of data on the structure of morbidity and the elemental status of child were given for the two districts of St. Petersburg with different degrees of anthropogenic impact: Kolpinsky and Petrodvortsovy. As a result, it is concluded that, during the assessment of ecological state of urbanized areas and identification the causes of violations of public health it is necessary to adopt an integrated approach, including a number of additional criteria: the health risk and the elemental status of the population. Refs 15. Figs 2. Tables 3.